Automobile spring cover



June 24, .1930. L CLAPP 1,765,863

AUTOMOBILE SPR ING COVE R Filed OGQ. 29, 1927 All.

Y Patented June 24, i i

Tlfi i n ventibn relates to as Sums are SOIIlQtlHlQSlISBICl forkeeping a supply of lubri- 1 cant-againstthe springs ofanautomobile and for protecting such springs 'and lubricant; against access of dirt and'mois'tu're; v v

V jHeretofore, covers ofthis kind have been 7 j constructed'for use with grease or solid lubri-' cants, the lubricantbeing packed in between the cover and the spring, the ends of the cover being tightly clamped against the spring to f prevent the loss of lubricant. To obtain satisfactory lubrication in thisway, it is'neces-. sary'to keep a large excess of grease in the cover, but even 1n such case the greasefre-' 2 ,5.

quently tends to cake, particularly in cold weather, and at best does not readily work its way in between thecontacting surfacesof the spring leaves. Inasmuch as only that portion of the lubricant which is between the leaves spring leaves. I have found that this object functions, it is thus seen thatifgthe excess grease becomes caked, 1t serves'no useful purpose. t

The object of thepresent invention is to 'providea cover for automobile springs capable of use with oils or liquid lubricants which will not tend to cake or congeaheven in cold weather,1and which will readily spread or flow in'between the contacting surfaces of may be realized by lining thecoversubstantially throughout with a relatively thick pad of felted fibrous material capable of carrying a considerable amount of oil,.and assembling the cover with its pad 'saturated with the oil in tight contact with the ,spring. The 'oil 5 tends to'flow by capillary action'to the surface of the spring -and-to work its way in because squeaking or other spring,are used. i v..

,With the foregoing and other ob ]ects 1n tween the'sliding surfaces of the leaves, this 1 flow being augmented by-the squeezing action exerted on the pad by the fleiring of the spring While in use, so that there is llttle, 1f any, tendency for a spring thus lubricated to squeak at anytime; Inasmuch as any free oil is qulckly reabsorbed by the pad, the ends'of the cover neednot be clamped to the spring, this being particularly advantageous where more or less rigid covers whichmight-orack or break, or

. n's rawi gs a F, gure ,1 represents in perspective a cover I with the pad partly raised.- 1 M 1 I Referring first to Figure 3 ofthedrawing, I 1 indicates as a whole a cover'which, forthe T purpose ofillustration, is fashioned for asnoises if fixed to the c V ewpmy invention consists in the following features of construction: and arrangement of parts,';aswill hereinafter be more fully ,de; scribed; in conjunction with the accoinpanye I made in accordance with the presentfinyem Figure 1.

Figure?) springand' partly open, j V i t t F lgure 4' illustrates a fragment of the cover sembly'with a spring of .semielliptic curvature The cover may be of any'suitable mate-Y rlal, such, as the flexible leather ordinarily employed forthis purposa but, as shown on thedrawing, may be advantageously mould; ed tojthedesired form from more or less rigid vmaterial, for instance, fiberboard having waterproof. and greaseproof properties such as described in my applicationfor patent, Serial No.1 2OlA05, filed June 25', 192?;I1The' cover :is lined substantially throughoutlwith a relatively vthick of fibrous material capable of, carryingjori absorbing/a large v amount of oil, forinstance of the character.

sometimes known as cylinder oilfl The pad is fiber, as wool and/or hair, as such, fiber iscapable ofcarrying-a largeamount ofL'oil. Preferably, shown in Figure 4','a21ayer.;o

5 fabricB siuchas" burlap,is placed between the:

pad 2 andltlie cover :1, and is adhesivelyc see Q cured .to' both pad and: cover, thus serving 'to hold bothunit'ed. x Topermit assembly with a spring, the coveris provided on; its under side, with a pair of separable flaps 4, one of which is engageable under the other to fo'rm I an open-ended box fitting about a {spring the fia ps is shown provided with a. rowof hooks 5Qper1nitting lacinglasseinbly with aspiifig. '1 i I" Before assemblypthe'padlfZTis saturated] vili t s ww fiilfii y Su abl l brisetff jtion assernbledwith'an automobile spring. F1gure2 is a section onthe line-Q -Qof g Y y f1 m v shows in perspective the cover in an; lnverted position, detached from the go i tin iqualityL The flaps 4are then sprun open and the cover pulled down over a spring 6,"as shoWnin'Figure l, With the flaps 4 on the under side and thus normally obscured from yiew, The flaps 4 are then tied together by alacef7 engaging the hooks of both flapspas J (shown in Fignrel, the pad" thus. being 7 squeezed into tight contact Withfthe I spring 1 and caused to releasean initial supply of lu 10:

bricant, which gradually tends to Work in between the sliding "surfaces of the leaves, this being accelerated as the spring is flexed.

I in; operation." Capillary action further serves to'cause a flow of oil onto the. spring,

this flow being augmented by the squeezlng V of thep'ad; taking place when the'sp'ring is fleied, and the flexing further aiding in caus- I j ing' the oil to Work in bQtWQGD' the leaves. V-

. I 1 Suitable, provision-is "preferably made for)" J oilingv the pad Without 'disass'emloling; the coverfroni the spr ng. To thls end, oneor "morejoil cupsS communicatingwiththe pad may be arranged alongjthe upper-side of the r jcover, so that oil mayzbe fed intothe oil cups from an oil can When desired. The oil the entire spring. 30,

flows onto the pad-and" tends to distribute rigid '7 fiberboard having waterproof grea'seproof properties andglined' substantlallythroughout With a relativelythik'pad of fibrous material capable'of carrying moon- J siderable amount ofliquid lubricant V2. The'combination with an automobile spring of a moulded fiberboard cover hav- 7 lug-{waterproof .-a' d grea'seproof" properties 5 andlined substantiallythroughout With a v relatively thickpad of loosely felted animal fiber'carrying a large amount of liquid lubri V .cantand intight contact Withsaid spring; 7

said cover being unattached tosaidspring at 7 any point. i

In testimony whereof have afiixed rny;

Signatureg;

i Y-JYALBERTLLCLAPP,

itself by capillary action ,throughout the paid,

and thus to aflord a uniform lubrication o f It is thus seen that accordance with the present invention may be assembled W thoutattachment to the spring.

atany point,-an d atlthe same time ofi'erexaf covei constructed in cellent lubrication' tothe spring, as the'relav i' tively thick pad" liningfl absorbs flexing of the l spring, oil beingsqueezed therefromat the same tini'e, and the'coyer is free to flex when 7 necessary This 'make s possible the-success p 1 111 use/0f comparatively rigid IIIZLtQ IIZ LlS,

such" as fiberboard of the character herein-. before described in the manutactureof the 7 covers, this being particularlyjadyantageous,

as such fiberboardis.farless expensive and at the same time is more resistant to deterioration oil than leather.

7 I I'am awareofthejfact thatf felt or other packing materials have sometimes been used" at theends of spring covers to preventgrease or @semi-solid lubricants from escaping through the endsof the cover; butiso 'fa'r as I .am' aware; the lining ofan automobile'spring cover, and moreiiespecially, a more or less rigid co'y'er, Wltllza/ relatively thick pad of his felted fibrous material carrying a'largequantity'oit' oil and assembled for the purp'oseof I lubricating'the spring of ana'utomobil rhas not heretofore been known.

f Having described an embodiment" of I this'inventiomit evident that chan geand v modification might be made therein Without Y departing from the spirit or scope of invention'as defined in the appended clain is. r 7' WhatIclaim iszr i I As an: article of;manufacture, an automobile'ispring cover made'of comparatively;

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